WASHINGTON — Looking around the Mexican Cultural Center in D.C., where several hundred people sipped margaritas or danced to a mariachi band on Saturday night, a buoyant Eduardo Verastegui said: “With the food, music and even the paintings, they bring Mexico to this room. What better environment to show a film?”

Especially if the movie is “Bella,” the first outing for Metanoia Films, featuring Verastegui, who also produced. It took home the Toronto fest’s people’s choice award and has since been stirring auds for its unusual portrait of Latino culture.